Internship Interview #1: Alex Riley & Harmelin Media

Hi everyone! My name is Devan West, and I am a senior studying advertising at Temple. We all know how important it is, especially in this major, to have an internship. After all, it is a requirement in the curriculum. Currently, many students in the advertising department hold internships at some of the most prominent companies in Philadelphia. I will be sitting down with the students in these positions weekly in order to give others a better insight of what it’s like. This week I got to sit down and talk with Alex Riley, 21, who is in the account management track of the advertising department.

AR: “I’m interning at Harmelin Media.”

DW: “How did you hear about the internship?”

AR: “Through Dana Saewitz, the internship coordinator at Temple.”

DW: “How did you go about applying?”

AR: “I contacted the internship coordinator at Harmelin Media and told her I was interested in interning at Harmelin for the spring semester.  I e-mailed her my cover letter and resume and I heard back from her shortly afterwards.”

DW: “Did you have an interview? If so, what type of questions did they ask you?”

AR: “Yes, I had an interview for the internship position.  During the interview, they asked me basic questions about what classes I was taking at Temple and why I wanted to intern at Harmelin.”

DW: “What kind of tasks are you asked to perform at your internship?”

AR: “The main tasks that I perform are assisting the employees in making media buys for clients such as BET and Turkey Hill.”

DW: “What’s the coolest thing you’ve done so far?”

AR: “The coolest thing that I have done at Harmelin is having the ability to work on the BET account.  The account is huge, and I’ve had the opportunity to become familiar with the different types of advertising that they buy in some of the biggest markets.”

DW: “What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned since starting at Harmelin?”

AR: “Becoming acquainted with the computer systems that Harmelin uses would be the most valuable thing that I have learned so far.  The systems such as SBMS are confusing at first but since I have been working with them often, I am becoming comfortable with them.  This will be an advantage for me because at my next internship I will already be familiar with the programs and will be able to complete more complex assignments.”

DW: “Do you have any advice for other students interested in a similar internship experience?”

AR: “The best advice that I would have for students interested in obtaining a similar internship would be to have your resume critiqued over and over again, because you can keep improving it each time.  As far as interviewing goes, I would recommend knowing information about the company that you are applying for because it makes them realize that you really are interested in the position, and the company itself.

Read about Harmelin Media internship opportunites!

Lastly, if you are currently an advertising student with an internship, and would like to share your experience, please e-mail me at Devan.West@temple.edu.